North Koreans Among Most Malnourished in Asia

[TaunSew]

Well the most recent photos show that Koreans are eating better.  I've even seen photos of fat infantrymen.

The Korean starvation is no different than the Cuban near starvation - the USSR was done in the early 1990s and both North Korea and Cuba were left isolated in the global trading network and it took them time to adjust.  The results would had been no different if European countries decided to go Autarky in the early 1990s.

Technically speaking very few countries in the world are food independent and must import to make up the gap.  In Europe, if I recall, France is the only country which is self-sufficient in food production and the rest have to import their food from North and South America.

[bitsmichel]

Technically speaking very few countries in the world are food independent and must import to make up the gap.  In Europe, if I recall, France is the only country which is self-sufficient in food production and the rest have to import their food from North and South America.

When I was in Europe, they imported the food from other countries within Europe, including France. Europe is not as large as the US, so it is not such a big problem.

[unpure]

What benefit south Korea offer ethnic Korean back to their homeland?

Not much. But it is easier for ethnic Koreans to get a South Korean work visa (which is notoriously hard to obtain, especially for the blue collar jobs). And most of the Soviet Koreans are concentrated in countries such as Uzbekistan, where the wages are abysmally low. An ethnic Korean from Uzbekistan can earn as much money in a month, which he would otherwise earn from 3 years working in Uzbekistan.

Nice.

If I am a Korean in Uzbekistan, I would seriously considering moving back to South Korea.

[Brewins]

All governments use food to stay in power and try to produce harmless citizens. First world countries do that by incentiving unbalanced diets and with toxics hormones and pesticides in food and meat, while North Korea use the famine to keep the citizens unable to do organize, and as incentive for delations and stuff.


Nothing new.

[Sithara007]

If I am a Korean in Uzbekistan, I would seriously considering moving back to South Korea.

Almost all of these Koreans were born in Uzbekistan. They no longer speak the Korean language. Also, some are inter-married to the natives. Not many would chose to settle down in South Korea permanently.

[unpure]

If I am a Korean in Uzbekistan, I would seriously considering moving back to South Korea.

Almost all of these Koreans were born in Uzbekistan. They no longer speak the Korean language. Also, some are inter-married to the natives. Not many would chose to settle down in South Korea permanently.

I see.

My observation is parents will do whatever they can to make their children future better. Moving to a country with open arm may prove profitable.

[petestheman]

Well the most recent photos show that Koreans are eating better.  I've even seen photos of fat infantrymen.

All the photos you see are made to make their country look better than it really is. They are not going to show pictures of the starvation because they want the world to believe that they are self sufficient.

[Chef Ramsay]

Well the most recent photos show that Koreans are eating better.  I've even seen photos of fat infantrymen.

All the photos you see are made to make their country look better than it really is. They are not going to show pictures of the starvation because they want the world to believe that they are self sufficient.

Yep, clearly these apparent photos were part of the propaganda onslaught that the DPRK is known for. Most if not all of the news I here and see out of the North is that the military personnel are leaving their posts and stealing food from the locals and most of these military aged people were stunted from the so-called arduous march. It's only the prosperous that are lucky enough to live in Pyongyang, via proper familial backgrounds, that lead normal and healthy lives.

[Daniel91]

Well the most recent photos show that Koreans are eating better.  I've even seen photos of fat infantrymen.

All the photos you see are made to make their country look better than it really is. They are not going to show pictures of the starvation because they want the world to believe that they are self sufficient.

Yep, clearly these apparent photos were part of the propaganda onslaught that the DPRK is known for. Most if not all of the news I here and see out of the North is that the military personnel are leaving their posts and stealing food from the locals and most of these military aged people were stunted from the so-called arduous march. It's only the prosperous that are lucky enough to live in Pyongyang, via proper familial backgrounds, that lead normal and healthy lives.

Yes, I agree with this.
In fact, I have a few friends from S. Korea and they also don't believe this false reports from N. Korea.
N. Korea have very long tradition of false reports and manipulating own people by media and brainwashing them.
This became almost art there, so i will not trust any positive report from N. Korea.